PL (TRAESCS2D02G575600) — triticum aestivum

Summary

TRAESCS2D02G575600, designated TaPL on wheat chromosome 2D, encodes a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor with DNA-binding and protein-dimerization activity. The product is associated with a wide range of developmental and metabolic processes, including trichome spacing and morphogenesis, epidermal cell fate specification, proanthocyanidin and mucilage biosynthesis during seed coat development, stomatal complex formation, and sucrose-mediated signaling. TaPL has been linked to numerous agronomically relevant traits such as leaf trichome density, seed coat color and morphology, pericarp color, thousand-kernel weight, grain length, stem dry weight, phosphate content, cadmium concentration, UV light sensitivity, and plant male sterility. The gene is also connected to root hair production and elongation, root epidermal cell patterning, and whole-plant size. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to trichome development, root hair cell differentiation, seed oil accumulation, and UV-B stress response.